Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-1131

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-1131
UK Government — This photograph A 16040 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate U 570, a Type VIIC submarine.

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-113120 May 1944 — 30 March 1945312 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-1131
Builder
Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel
Ordered
25 August 1941
Laid down
6 February 1943
Launched
3 April 1944
Commissioned
20 May 1944
Fate
Sunk on 30 March 1945 (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-1131 was a Type VIIC submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel on 6 February 1943. Launched on 3 April 1944, she entered service on 20 May 1944.

She was one of 612 ships of her class. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 312 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 30 March 1945, at 53°32′N 9°51′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes or
  • 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-1131 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: UK Government — This photograph A 16040 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons